Team Value!

If we start with the premise that everyone on your team has great value, then a key role as leader of the team is to facilitate the realization of that potential value. So the question is how do we facilitate that realization... how do we get team members to bring their great value to the table?

Well, if leaders take a position of giving instructions, directives and commands - they'll probably get exactly what they asked for... and most likely nothing more. The challenge with this approach is that the value generated is limited to what the leader brings to the table. On the other hand, if all members of the team were encouraged to come up with ideas, plans, solutions, etc., consider how much more value would be added to the team effort.

Unfortunately, in many instances, people have become so accustomed to following instructions, directives and commands, that even when given the opportunity to bring their ideas, plans and solutions to the table, they still hold back, often awaiting instructions before proceeding.

Leaders who really want to bring out the potential value in their team members may consider adopting an approach where all members of staff are considered leaders... and they are therefore required to make decisions - not just follow orders, instructions, commands. The challenge here is that they may sometimes make the wrong decisions - but that's part of the risk involved in becoming excellent... the other option is to remain ordinary.

Caribbean Value

I had some really great conversations today with my Sport for Development colleagues as we noted that often the Caribbean (and other developing countries) are not recognized for the value that they bring to the global discourse. And of course, this is not unique to the field of Sport for Development. So whenever there are gatherings of regional or international groups, the Caribbean (and other developing countries) are often left out of the dialogue - and/or if we (the Caribbean) are included, we are often relegated to 'beneficiary' status - "Let's show you how you can benefit from the expertise of first world intelligence..."

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that we have nothing to learn from the expertise of the so called first world - all I'm saying is that new knowledge, creative ideas, innovative approaches... are not limited to first world thinkers... and in the past decade or so, I have personally witnessed a significant volume of new and innovative thinking emerging from the Caribbean - particularly in the field of Sport for Development.

So stand up Caribbean people and show your worth... so that the rest of the world may begin to benefit from the value that we add to the global discourse.

+ve vibes,
Mark

The Message of the Cross

Even if you didn't believe in the story of the crucifixion, I'm sure that you'll admit that the message is a powerful one... giving up your life so that others may live...

Of course, that was part of the fulfillment of scripture - that was why He came - that was His purpose...

So what is your purpose... why are you here... and what are you prepared to give to fulfill your purpose?

+ve vibes,
Mark

Release the Power!

Just believe that you can do it... and stop lowering your value... because you have the power inside of you- I know you have it... so just release that power... and start doing amazing things!

+ve vibes,
Mark

You have beautiful eyes..., but your nose is crooked!

Most of us would find it difficult to criticize people we really care about... and unfortunately, even though we may criticize them because we care, most times criticism is not well received - and I suppose, that's a normal human response.

Some years ago, a visiting 'guru' from India had been invited to address a group of my student-teachers and he suggested that if he said ten positive things about them and one negative thing, that they would mainly be concerned about the negative thing.

"So, you've got a really nice personality; and I like your work ethic; you dress really well; and your hair is always well groomed; but your hand writing is a bit untidy..."  My hand writing is untidy - geez!

The guru went on to suggest that not only would we focus on the negative comment, but we would also be inclined to hold it against him. "How dare you tell me about my hand writing!"

So how do we provide feedback about someone's faults? How do I tell my students about their (strengths and) weaknesses without being offensive. Well the guru suggests that before we can criticize someone, we first need to establish a relationship with them. A relationship that is based on respect and sincerity. I like to refer to this relationship as intimate - and depending on the context - professionally intimate.

So build meaningful (professionally) intimate relationships with your students, colleagues... and yes, children!!! Only then, can we become more comfortable about giving and receiving feedback about our faults...

+ve vibes,
Mark

Order - don't cross the border!

Soca artiste Maximus Dan (formally Magadan) is probably best known for his patrotic hit "Soca Warrior" that he sang in support of the T&T football team that went on to qualify for it's first FIFA World Cup in Germany, 2006. Maximus is also well known for his mantra, "Order, don't cross the border" - that he would often interject during his performances to promote his own advocacy for personal and social responsibility.

Unfortunately, the real challenge with today's society is not only in getting people to operate within the 'borders' of acceptable behaviour, but probably more importantly, to more clearly define what is acceptable. So where exactly is the border? What is acceptable and what is not... and who cares... does it really matter? And who determines where the borders are drawn?

Well, consider the dilemma that young people face when different institutions/agencies (schools, religion, politics, family, friends, etc) all present varying interpretations of the "borders". So where do you stand - pro-life or pro-choice; pre-marital sex or not; God or no God; smelter or no smelter...?

And then, just when you've made an informed decision, after you've analyzed as much info as you can - and you choose to stand behind a particular border.... somebody decides to move it! So, now the border is blurry - because even within established institutions, there seems to be a growing trend of 'flexible borders'. Things no longer seem to be clearly right or wrong - so many shades of grey... and we wonder why it's so difficult for our young people to respond to Maximus Dan's cry for order.

+ve vibes,
Mark

Only 100 more steps to take - where would you go?

About 15 years ago I first met (Master Artist) LeRoy Clarke as he addressed a group of secondary school students at the Fyzabad Composite School - I was a bit turned off by the way he spoke to the students and some years later when I was asked to meet with the man, I couldn't hold back from telling him that I found him to be a bit impatient. To my relief he laughed it off and in short time, I began to feel a sense of comfort in his (intimidating) presence... and now I looked forward to another meeting, with less concern about the project that had brought us together and more about this interesting individual - Master Artist, Poet, Elder, National Heritage, Chief... and the unknown possibilities of this new interaction.


Our meetings turned out to be totally new dimension of learning for me and today I share with you one simple but very profound question that he posed to me: "If you had only 100 more steps to take, where would you go?" (maybe not his exact words, but pretty close)


I really cannot even begin to capture Clarke's explanation of this question, but suffice it to say that it got me thinking about all of the 'steps' in life that we take... often because we take it for granted that we have an unlimited number of 'steps' available to us. We go here, there and everywhere... often with no real sense of direction... no real sense of purpose. 


In my mind, Clarke's question really challenges us to live a more purposeful life - to take more deliberate 'steps'. Of course, if Clarke got in on this blog, he would probably have a totally different explanation of all of this - as he often told me when I couldn't understand his writings/discourse - you don't always have to be searching for purpose/meaning, sometimes you just need to appreciate things for what they are... 


So, today I ask the question to you, if you had only 100 more steps to take, where would you go?


+ve vibes,
Mark

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

So another year passes and as we head into 2010 I thought it would be a good idea to share some of my reflections with you. As with any year, we always have some good stuff and some not so good stuff - my not so good stuff was the really sad passing of Mark Daly - and although he's been on my mind often since his passing, I'm feeling much less sad today than I did at his funeral. I'll always remember his beautiful spirit and hopefully we'll find a meaningful way to keep his legacy alive.

Probably the most significant positive thing for me in 2009 was my reconnect with the 1st Pres Sea Scouts - a movement that I grew up in... where I learned the true value of brotherhood and where I developed many valuable life skills - leadership, commitment, personal responsibility, initiative, innovation, problem solving... and I as I returned to the beauty of Turtle Bay on Monas Island - just off the Northwestern Peninsula of Trinidad, I cringed at the horror of what was left of two scout houses where we spent many a holiday camp. The 1st Pres scout house (Copper Hole) that doubled as a retreat centre for students at Pres College sitting at the point of the bay was suspiciously destroyed by fire earlier in 2009.  And the Fatima scout house that once boasted a picturesque kitchen and dining area on the water front, with a large dorm facility along the hillside overlooking the bay... was now nothing - the only evidence was the smashed concrete floor eroded by the ocean... and the neglect... it was an ugly sight and absolutely unbelievable!

And then there was the campfire... and the spirit of the young scouts who pitched tents on the same ground that once housed the dorms and who unaware of the history of the venue, lustily sang campfire songs, performed short skits and poked fun at each other... and reminded me that the value of this wonderful institution was not in the concrete structures, but in the hearts of those who embrace its value.

I pray that for 2010, you embrace those 'value' institutions - those institutions that really build character and that really shape who we are... who we want to be... who we want our children to be.

+ve vibes,
Mark